Kyiv seeks answers from Beijing after detaining two Chinese citizens during combat in Donetsk; Washington calls incident ‘disturbing’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that two Chinese nationals had been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donetsk region, alleging their involvement on behalf of Russian military operations. The revelation, made public on Tuesday (9 April), raises further questions about the extent of Beijing’s indirect role in the ongoing war.
In a statement on social media, Zelenskyy said the individuals were apprehended while fighting alongside Russian troops. “Our forces detained two Chinese nationals in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. They were equipped with documents, bank cards and other identifying material,” he said, posting a video that showed one of the captives bound and dressed in military attire.
The brief footage included the man speaking a few words in Mandarin and mimicking combat sounds, reportedly during an off-camera questioning session. He also used the term “commander”, hinting at some level of military organisation.
A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously, suggested that the men had likely signed enlistment contracts with the Russian army and were not necessarily deployed by the Chinese government. “They were captured recently. There may be more,” the source added, noting the full picture would become clearer once Ukrainian intelligence conducted further interrogations.
Images of one prisoner’s ID card were shared with the press, listing him as Han Chinese and born on 4 June 1991.
The United States reacted with concern. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told journalists the case was troubling and reflective of Beijing’s support for Moscow. “This is deeply disturbing. China continues to provide a vast share—almost 80 per cent—of the dual-use items Russia relies on to maintain its military campaign,” she said.
Although US President Donald Trump has called for a rapid resolution to the war, his administration has so far made little diplomatic headway. Meanwhile, bilateral talks between Washington and Moscow are expected to resume in Istanbul on Thursday, focused on restoring curtailed embassy operations.
Elsewhere, the war continues to wreak havoc on Ukrainian cities. Overnight drone strikes injured 20 people across Dnipro, Kramatorsk, and Kharkiv, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
Dnipropetrovsk’s regional governor reported that 14 individuals—aged 18 to 87—were hurt in Dnipro alone, with several residential buildings damaged. In Kramatorsk, an 11-year-old girl, her mother, and grandmother were wounded in what officials described as a large-scale Russian drone attack.
Meanwhile, Kharkiv’s industrial zone was struck around 15 times, affecting factories producing civilian goods like sweets and paint.
As the war enters its fourth year, foreign fighters continue to participate on both sides of the conflict, while Ukraine calls on allies to respond to increasing reports of North Korean troop deployments near the Russian-Ukrainian border.
